On the final day of the 5th Khoryug Conference on Environmental Protection being held in New Delhi the Gyalwang Karmapa spoke passionately about the environmental emergency facing the world, and pointed to our individual personal consumption choices as one way to make a difference.

“Because of the sheer numbers of the human population and because of modern technology, we are having a horrific impact on our environment,” he told the 60 monastic delegates gathered from across the Himalayan region. “And we’ve become so jaded about this on the whole that it is as if we are asleep in the sleep of ignorance about what we are doing to the environment.”

“Each and every one of the more than 7 billion people on this planet has a brain. We’re all capable of understanding this, and yet our ignorance about our misuse of the environment is shocking. We need to wake up from this ignorance, especially those who wish to practice spirituality. This is perhaps our greatest Read the rest of this article

Speaking at the launch of a major new book titled ‘Tibet: Perspectives and Prospects’, edited by Prabhat P. Shukla, the Gyalwang Karmapa spoke of the profound and important relationship between the Tibetan and Indian nations.

“Because Tibetan dharma and Tibetan culture both come from India, it is important for us as Tibetans to appreciate what we have received from India and our tremendous and long-standing debt, both spiritual and cultural, to this country,” he said. “It is important for us to recognize that as Tibetans partaking of Tibetan dharma and culture, we are in a sense the children of India—that India is the mother of Tibetan culture and dharma.”

“The relationship between India and Tibet is not recent, and it is not temporary. It is a very profound relationship, more than one thousand years old. It is not merely political, it is not expedient, and it is not merely economic. It is the deepest possible Read the rest of this article

Reflecting his keen interest and commitment towards environment issues, on 1 October 2013 the Gyalwang Karmapa was chief guest at the 2013 Bhoomi Festival in New Delhi. With the theme of ‘Sacred Himalaya, Abundant Himalaya’, the environment festival was organized by Navdanya, a network of organic producers and seedkeepers spread throughout India, under the leadership of renowned Indian scientist and environmental activist Dr Vandana Shiva.

In his opening speech the Gyalwang Karmapa began by offering his prayers for all those who lost their lives in the recent flood disaster in the Indian Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. He pointed out that in the modern world we are witnessing rapid and destructive environmental changes, and that these changes are due to human activity. He urged those gathered to look deeper into the root causes behind this.

Meeting today in Dharamsala, India, with a large group of foreign-born Tibetan children who are currently on a Summer Camp Program, the Gyalwang Karmapa urged them to remember the difficulties faced by Tibetans living in Tibet.

The group of about 60 students included young Tibetans born in Switzerland, Canada, the United States, Ireland and France, who had travelled to India in order to learn about and experience more of their Tibetan cultural roots.

“There are a lot of difficulties that the Tibetans who live in Tibet face, and the responsibility to remove or eliminate those difficulties falls upon all of us who live in foreign countries,” the Gyalwang Karmapa told the young students. “It’s a great responsibility that we have.”

“For all of the Tibetans who live in free countries, who are scattered all over the world, for all of you it is your own individual responsibility. And this is something that you all have to know and understand for yourselves, before anyone else Read the rest of this article

I was deeply saddened to hear of the senseless violence perpetrated today at the Mahabodhi temple and its environs in Bodhgaya. This is the place where Buddhist pilgrims from India and the world over pay homage to Lord Buddha and his teachings.

As yet we do not know why or by whom this sacred site was targeted. However, I am convinced that, as Buddhists, in responding to this situation, the best homage we can pay to Lord Buddha is to uphold his teachings on love and ahimsa (non-violence).

I ask you, therefore, to remain calm and refrain from any further escalation of the violence. I offer my prayers for the victims and their families, and call on Buddhists everywhere to truly embrace the wisdom of Lord Buddha’s teachings in all that we do.

Quotes from the 17th Karmapa

Each person must find his or her own path. Nonetheless, seek guidance from wise and compassionate people and listen to them earnestly. This will help you find the best way to proceed – now and in the future.- Karmapa on Guidance

All traditions, whether religious or secular, have developed to benefit human society. In the event that a tradition or system becomes harmful, there’s no need to insist on following it.- Karmapa on Tradition

Human beings are the most intelligent and resourceful species on earth. If we use our intelligence to cause more suffering, rather than to bring some real benefit to others and ourselves, we are no better than beasts.- Karmapa on Intelligence

Just to simply relax and rest in your own natural state is all that you need to do. When you give yourself that opportunity, you’ll find that presence extends to the other parts of your life.- Karmapa on Meditation

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